Sami and the Drogarati Cave
Sami and the Drogarati Cave is one of the narrated stops on the self-guided Kefalonia audio walking tour in Gingerguide. Plan about ~90 min here. Press play at the spot for its two to three minute story, or ask the AI guide anything about it.
- Type nature
- Suggested visit ~90 min
- Kefalonia Kefalonia guide
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About Sami and the Drogarati Cave
The east-coast port of Sami, below the walls of ancient Same and used as a set for Captain Corelli's Mandolin, and nearby the Drogarati Cave, a great hall of stalactites under the hillside.
Sami lies at the head of a bay facing Ithaca and is the island's largest port. Ancient Same, one of the four city-states of Kefalonia, stood on two hills east of the town, and its Classical and Hellenistic walls still survive; around 189 or 188 BC it held out against a Roman army for four months. In 2001 the harbour stood in for the island's main port in the film Captain Corelli's Mandolin.
About three kilometres south-west, the Drogarati Cave opens through a wooded hollow left by a fallen roof. Stairs lead down about 21 metres to a great hall about 65 by 45 metres and 20 metres high, full of stalactites and stalagmites, with a constant temperature of about 18 °C. Its acoustics have made it a venue for concerts. The cave opened to visitors in 1963 and keeps seasonal hours.
Did you know? The Roman historian Livy wrote that the people of ancient Same held out against a Roman consul for four months, around 189 or 188 BC, until the Romans climbed the wall at night.
How long should you spend at Sami and the Drogarati Cave?
Plan about ~90 min at Sami and the Drogarati Cave. That is enough to take it in and hear its narrated story; stay longer if it grabs you. The tour is self-guided, so there is no rush.
Is Sami and the Drogarati Cave worth visiting?
Sami and the Drogarati Cave is one of the 13 sights the Gingerguide team researched and narrated in Kefalonia, so it earns a place on a self-guided walk. Its story explains why it matters, and you can ask the AI guide anything the story leaves open.
Nearby stops in Kefalonia
Day 1 of the Kefalonia in 2 days itinerary →
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Hear the story of Sami and the Drogarati Cave
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